Captain Bob Ryder Remembers his Uncle Bill Ryder
I was extremely fortunate to have visited Uncle Bill (William Crowell Ryder) just before his passing. For many weeks before that final visit, I had found him to be struggling, but he had rallied of late and seemed to be at peace.
Early in my life he had introduced me to amateur radio, and every time I visited his home, on Chatham's Bar Cliff Avenue, he'd find ways to include me in projects, be it construction of equipment, pumping out his cellar, or just communicating on his beloved radios.
Occasionally when he and his friend Francis Doane traveled to other Cape Cod radio amateur's homes, they'd ask me if I wanted to go along. When my parents allowed such voyages, I would happily tag along, and therein the spark was planted that led me to become a radio operator for the United States Coast Guard.
After service to our country, I opted to become a commercial fisherman. Uncle was always involved with advising me how to get the most out of the electronics that accompanied the many boats that I owned during that career. Uncle had a very generous and caring personality mixed with a great sense of humor, and I know now, that I was doubly blessed to have him on my side, no matter where I was.
One anecdote - I was offshore of Cape Cod in a boat, that I had bought from my Dad, and was in the process of sinking it by overloading it with fish. When it became obvious that there was no hope of saving the vessel, I called MAYDAY on the calling and distress frequency, 2182 Kc, and was instantly answered by a ship that was located offshore of North Carolina! My thoughts went to Uncle Bill, as he was the man that had installed the radio, antenna and ground systems on the boat many years before, and now the life of my crew and myself were about to be saved by his fine work.
We will all miss him, and for a wide variety of reasons, but for me it will be his unending friendship and mentoring that will keep my memories of him strong.
Captain Bob Ryder
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